Primers

Primers contain an explosive chemical mixture that ignites when compressed by the firing pin and shoots hot gasses and/or particles forward, igniting the powder charge. Although I understand it's importance to shotshell performance, that's about all I want to know about the internal workings of a primer. They are all about the same size, look very similar, cost about the same, and just don't excite us very much. Unfortunately, that has led many reloaders to disregard the very real ballistic differences between different primers.

Primers are not the same; some generate more velocity and pressure than others when loaded with the same components. Lyman's 4th Edition Shotshell Reloading Handbook summarizes primer variation tests done by Lyman and Hodgdon Powder Company where different primers were loaded into otherwise identical 1 1/8 ounce and 7/8 ounce lead-shot loads. In general, the Federal 209A and CCI 209M produced the highest pressures and velocities while the CCI 209 and Remington 209P had the lowest. But the order was not consistent between the 1 1/8 ounce loads and the 7/8 ounce loads, and the differences between the "hottest" and "coolest" primers were 2500 to 3400 PSI. That is too large a difference to risk random primer substitutions, especially in our non-toxic reloads, which tend to be assembled for near-maximum recommended pressures already. Although I have been known to substitute the odd, leftover primers into my low-pressure, lead practice rounds, it is a bad practice and simply should never be done with non-toxic hunting loads.

Powders

Let's start with the big news for steel-shot reloaders. Alliant Steel powder is now available in many parts of the country. This is the first powder made available to reloaders that is designed specifically for use with steel pellets. Relative to factory steel loads, reloads generally had smaller shot charges at the same velocity or the same shot-charges at lower velocity because that was all the available powders could do within safe chamber pressures. A quick glance at the reloading data from Reloading Specialties (RSI) using the new Steel powder, shows 2 3/4 inch 1 1/8 ounce loads and 3-inch 1 1/4 ounce loads exceeding 1450 fps. Reloaders can now meet or exceed the load configuration for all factory loads except those with the largest shot charges in each shell length. A note from RSI states that Steel is a bulky powder and component-space is still an issue. Maybe that is why there still are no 2 3/4 inch 1 1/4 ounce or 3-inch 1 3/8 ounce loads. However, the new recipes from both Alliant and RSI are significant improvements for steel reloaders.

Although the new powder brings welcome change, most of our steel-shot reloading experience is with powders designed for lead-shot loads. Steel pellets are bulky and non-compressible, and thus only the slowest-burning powders can propel a reasonable shot-charge out the barrel at effective velocity without exceeding maximum recommended chamber pressures. Fast-burning powders like Red Dot, IMR 700-X, and Winchester 452AA (now WST), which reloaders are accustomed to seeing with 1 and 1 1/8 ounce charges of lead shot, would generate dangerous chamber pressures with similar charges of steel shot. Powders associated with heavy, "magnum" loads of lead shot, like Blue Dot, IMR 4756, IMR 800-X, Winchester 571, and Hodgdon's HS-7 were the only choices for steel-shot reloaders. There are data for 7/8 ounce steel target loads that call for somewhat faster-burning powders like Unique, Herco, Winchester 540, or IMR 7625, but for typical steel duck-loads, the slowest powders are preferred.

Because only the slowest-burning powders were compatible with steel shot, non-toxic reloaders had few propellant choices. When Winchester discontinued 571, which was quite popular with my steel-reloading friends, the choices were further limited. Most steel reloading recipes of at least 1-ounce of shot will call for Blue Dot, IMR 4756, IMR 800-X, or HS-7 powder. Interestingly, a very limited number of powders are used in existing bismuth reloading data. Ballistic Product's (BP) bismuth reloading data calls for only Blue Dot, IMR 4756, or Scott Solo 1250 powder, and Hodgdon's loads use only HS-6 and HS-7. Although I expect it to change as reloading data for bismuth pellets expands and other steel-specific powders are marketed (hopefully there are more to come) , few powders are currently used in non-toxic reloads.

Wads

In addition to the pellets, wads are a uniquely identifying feature of steel-shot ammunition. The one-piece plastic wads known to all lead-shot reloaders have 3 parts: over-powder gas seal, collapsible center section, and shotcup. The density and hardness of bismuth pellets is similar to lead pellets, and bismuth loads can be built using our familiar lead-shot wads. Steel pellets, however, are lighter and harder than lead, and required changes in plastic wads. To protect the shotgun bore from scratching by very hard steel pellets, the plastic was made much thicker and tougher, and to make room for the larger, lighter steel pellets, the collapsible center portion of the wad was eliminated. The result was a tough, rigid shotcup with an integral gas seal. The plastic wad became the key component in selecting a steel reloading recipe.

Unlike lead-shot reloading data, which came largely from the powder manufacturers, steel-shot reloading data came from the source of wads. Although there are now some limited data from independent sources like Lyman and Hodgdon Powder Company, the vast majority of steel reloading data were generated by the wad-sellers. For many years MEC produced the most popular wads for steel-shot reloading. Their wads were smooth-sided and very similar to those found in most factory steel loads. MEC quit producing steel-shot wads over 2 years ago, but Ballistic Products now markets the popular wads under a new name. RSI, BP, and Precision Reloading (PR) are the current suppliers of steel-shot wads.

RSI markets the SAM1 wad, PR sells the Steel-Tuff wad, and both provide a variety of load recipes with each bag of wads purchased. SAM1 wads are relatively thin wads with a strongly ribbed, almost corrugated, shotcup. They are very slick and many reloaders complain about them sticking to the rammer tube rather than staying in the hull when placed on the powder. However, RSI claims their wad-design gives higher velocities at lower pressures than other wads, and provides some test data in their manual to prove it. SAM1 wads can be ordered un-split for pattern-controlling customized wad-slitting. I have personally not loaded nor seen a Steel-Tuff wad because the associated reloading recipes list lower velocities with similar shot charges than recipes using other wads. Steel-Tuff wads and reloading data were developed by Steel Reloading Components Inc., now out of business, emphasizing barrel protection and assuring reloaders that their steel reloading recipes met all SAAMI recommended maximums for chamber pressure. The result was a rather thick wad and generally lower-velocity load data. SAM1 and Steel-Tuff wads are made for 10-gauge and 3 1/2, 3, and 2 3/4 inch 12-gauge loads. A 20-gauge SAM1 wad is also available.

Ballistic Products offers the largest variety of steel-shot wads, including some with collapsible sections. MEC's old wads are being made in the same molds, but with a slightly lighter, tougher plastic, and are now called Multi-metal wads. BP has developed new reloading data for these wads and advises against using the old MEC data with the new wads. Multi-metals are pre-split wads that BP recommends for beginning non-toxic reloaders, are available in 10-gauge, 3 1/2, 3, and 2 3/4 inch 12-gauge, and are also used in their bismuth load data. BP's BPD-10 Tuff and Ranger Plus are thick wads designed for heavy 10 and 12-gauge loads respectively. These wads can be purchased un-split for custom wad-slitting. BP offers a steel-shot version of their popular lead-shot wad, the BP-12, to be used in conjunction with the BPGS gas-seal. The BPGS/BP12-Tuff combination is used for light (7/8 ounce) high-velocity steel loads for which BP is known. BP12-Tuff wads come un-split and are also used in the only 16-gauge steel-shot reloading data available. They fit inside a 16-gauge hull and BP lists 3 steel loads using this wad with an over-powder nitro card. Lastly, BP offers the Cushion Steel Driver (CSD) and Steel Target Special (STS) wads for lighter steel applications and steel target loads. These wads all have at least some collapsible center section, and are not recommended for use with steel shot sizes larger than 4's. The CSD also has a 20-gauge version. Loading data for BP wads are contained in their manuals.